hazeltine



R. H. HAZELTINE Oct. 19 1926.

FUEL TANK 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Origi l Filed June 17, 1921 INVENTOR flax/[A BY #7 K "6/ W I 7A 03 m r 1,603,948 R. H. HAZEL FINE Oct. -19 1926.

I FUEL TANK Original Filed June 17, 1921 shseets-sheet 2 flan/42 ATTORNEY INVENTOR Patented ct. l9, l926.

resale FATENT ROBERT Ii. HAZELTINE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FUEL TANK.

Application filed June 17, 1921, Serial No. 478,334. Renewed March 20, 1926.

supply of liquid from a suitable source located a level below the device and for supplying such liquid by gravity to an apparatus in which it is used, the power for conveying the liquid to the device being supplied by a suitable source of vacuum, and is particularly applicable to fuel tanks for motor vehiclesin which a source of liquid fuel is located at a convenient low level, as for instance, the main fuel tank and carburetor is supplied by gravity, the fuel tank being interposed between the two at a level higher than the main tank and carburetor and being operated by suction obtained by connecting the tank to the engine manifold.

In such devices, it is essential that the device embody the minimum number of movable parts and beof extreme simplicity and great ruggedness, and it is desirable that a suitable supply of liquid fuel be obtained for the carburetor at substantially constant pressure. My invention aims to provide an apparatus which will comply with these requirements in a simple and effective manner and shall be easy to construct and assemble.

In the drawings, I have shown, In Fig. 1, a sectional view of a simple form of my improved device;

In Fig. 2, a sectional View taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, showing the rotating or movable element of my device more in detail;

In Fig. 3, a sectional view of a more highly developed form of my invention; v

In Fig. 4, a still more highly developed form of my invention; and

In Fig. 5, a perspective view of the rotor Sl'lOWIl in section in Fig. 4.

In general my invention contemplates the delivery to a container, the position of which is properly selected with respect to the carburetor, of quantities of liquid by a pump,

the movable element of which may be actuated by the suction of the engine or other suitable force. The pump used may take a variety of forms and may be rotating or reciprocating and be provided with driving means adapted to the character of the operating force. The specific form illustrated in the drawings comprises a rotating element or rotor divided into a plurality of comparti nts, which rotor is rotated by means if the suction of the engine dueto the successive introduction into the coinpartments of liquid under the influence of the vacuum, the rotor being turned to its dis charge position by the weight ofthe liquid or by the combined weight of the liquid its force of impact upon the rotor.

Thus in Fig. 1, I have shown a container I 1, which may be of any suitable shape closed by a cover 2,'through which an air vent 3 extends, venting the container '1 to the atmosphere. The liquid is supplied to the device by the pipe 4 and the pipe 5is connected to the intake manifold of the an glue, or to anyother suitable source of suc tldn. Located in the cover 2 is a rotor 6 suitably mounted upon the stationary shaft 7 which is channeled as at 8 to communicate with the liquid supply pipe 4;. The mounting is such as to secure the maximum freedom of rotation as by the use of ball bearings and the clearances between the rotor and the parts around it are as small as practic'able in order to provide an eflicient seal. Therotor 6 is dividedrinto a plurality of compartments illustrated in the. drawings as being four in number, 9, 10, 11 and 12, by means of suitable partitions. The outer and inner ends 13 and 14: respectively of the rotor partitions are thus formed in order to secure as tight a seal between the rotor and the stationary parts as possible, but it will be noted that it is not necessary to at any time close the orifice of the liquid supply inlet 8 and of the suction supply'inlet 15. The rotor is preferably made in the form shown in section in Fig. 2 or in perspective in Fig. 5, by reference to which it will be seen that the periphery of the rotor is closed by peripheral walls 16 except at the center where the rotor registers with the discharge orifice formed at the bottom of cover 2.

It will be understood that the size of the rotor, the size of the fuel and suction pipes and the capacity of the container are proportioned with respect to the suction of the engine and its fuel requirements in the modification shown in Fig. 1 so that any variations in'the relation of suction to fuel requirement which may be met with in the operation of the engine are compensated for by the liquid in the container 1. The modification shown'in'Fig. 1 is therefore particularly adapted to engines operating under n t s l ad with a. fired tllmt le p n in which the fuel requirements and suction are relatively constant, although it'is ca pable, if properly proportioned, to be ef fectively used in connection with engines operated over a wide rangeof throttle openings, fuel requirements, and load.

The operation of the device illustrated in Fig. 1 is as follows: Starting with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1, the fuel is supplied from the pipe 4 and orifice 8 to the compartment 10, suction being maintained at pipe 5. When a quantity of fuel has been thus brought into compartment 10 sufficient to cause the rotation ofthe rotor, the. rotor rotates past the fuel orifice 8 and the suction orifice 15,'thus-diverting fuel and suction into an adjacent compartment. The rotor continues to rotate until the contents of compartment 10 are discharged into the container 1 through the orifice. 16 at the lower art of the cover 2 and the fuel is fed to its-point of consumption through the outlet pipe 17 located at-the bottom of container 1. The continued rotation of the rotor having put compartment 11 into position, for operation, the pumping operation described above is repeated.

It will be noted that in Fig. 1 no provision is made for stopping the action of the device in the event that the level of the liquid incontainer 1 rises to such a pointas to prevent the rotation of the rotor, or thatthe rotor ceases to revolve for some other reason. In this event, if the parts were arrested in the position shown in Fig. 1 or in any other position in which both thefuel supply and suction ports were uncovered, the compartment in operation at that time might be filled with liquid until it covered the suction port and would thus be taken into the engine manifold through the suction line. To take care of this contingency, I have provided in Fig. 3, a means for shutting off the suction in the eventof the'filling of the compartment. Such means includes the provision of a chamber 18 in which is located a float 19 mounted upon a spindle 20, which carries a poppet valve 21 atits upper end and a piston valve 22 at its lower end; The source of suction is connected through the pipe 5 with the chamber 18 and the chamber 18 with the orifice 15, the remaining partsbeing the same as in the modifica tion illustrated in Fig. 1. Orifice 15, however, opens into container 1, as at 23, as will be explained hereafter. v

In the operation'of Fig. 3, assuming the rotor to be arrested in the position-illustrated, the continuance of the suction will will cause float 19 to rise, thereby shutting also cause piston valve 22 to register with the orifice 23 and will thus drain the chamber ,18 into the tank 1, permitting the float to resume the position shown in Fig. 1 and the device to again become operative if the conditions are proper for operation. If they are not, the float 19 will again rise under the influence of the increase in level of the li uid in the. chamber 18 and again shut oil the suction until the conditions are right for continued operation] In 41 have illustrated a highly developed form of my invention, in which the atmosphere and suction are regulated "both in response to variations in the level of the liquid in containerl' and tofvariations in the liquid in the chamber 18, the modifica tion described in Fig. SI'illustrating simply the rcgulation of suction in response to variations of level in the chamber 18. In the modification of Fig 4 a different form of rotor used, there being no liquid supply through a hollow shaft, but themotor being mounted on trunnions 2-1 and the liquid being supplied through pipe 4:- having an orifice 25 in the pump chamber of cover 2 There is also'in the pump chamber the orifice 15, through which suction is supplied to. the pump, which orifice is connected with chamber 18, as in the modification of Fig. 3.

Mounted upon the cover 2 is a valve housing 26 comprising two piston valves, one operated in response to variations in the level of the liquid in the container 1 through the instrulnentality of float 27, bellv crank 28, rod 29 and bell crank 30, and the other operated in response to variations in the level of the liquid in the container 1 through the instrmnentality of float 31 and bell crank 32. The valve housing 26 contains three apertures, apertures 33 and 34 being for atmosphere and aperture 35 being for suction and therefore connected to pipe 5. Each of the pistons contain two apertures, the container piston apertures 36 and 37 and the chamberpiston apertures 38 and 39, theoperation'of which will be hereafter described in detail. A drain valve, which may be in the form of a poppet valve 40 is arranged in the bottom of chamber 18 and is normally held in a closed position by spring 11, it being opened by the opera tion of lever-42 and stem- 43. Suitable limitingstops to regulate the throw of the valve pistons maybe provided.

Thevoperation of the modification shown in Fig. 4 is as follows: Assuming the parts to .be in the position shown in Fig. 4, suction is supplied through pipe 5, chamber 18 and orifice 15 to the pump, and liquid th gh i e .4. a d v o ifice 25- Itwillb noted tha t e position'of' the orifice 25 is arranged with respect to the pump that the force or impact of the liquid upon the rctor is usedto assist in its rotation. i ls-suming the level in container 1 to rise to such an extent as to cause the movement of the float 27 to the dotted line position, the upper or container piston valve will be thrown to the dotted line position, thus throwing ports 35 and out o! registry and shut ting oil the suction and throwing ports 33 and 37. in registry, thus venting the compartment 18 to atmosphere. This will cause the interruption of the pumping operation and conr. quently of the supply of liquid to the container 1. If desired, a suitable lost motion, either at the junction of hell crank 28 and rod 29 or of rod 29 and bell crank or bell crank and the valv piston may be provided so'that the operation of the container valve will be delayed. It will be understood that the'pumping operation is the same as described in connection with the previous figures, the rotor coi'np-artments being filled with liquid and discharg ing into'the container 1 through the port 16.

in the event of the stoppage oi the rotor for any reason, the compartment being filled at the moment will be filled until the liquid flows through orifice .15 into chamber 18, thus raising the. float 31. Assuming float 31 to be raised to the dotted line position, float 27 being at that time in the full line position, the container piston Will be moved to the dotted line position under the influence of the variation of liquid level in the chamber 18, thus throwing ports 83 and 39 and 35 and 38 out of registry and ports 39 and 34 into registry. This, as will be seen, has the effect of cutting off the atmosphere at port 33, cutting off the suction at port 35 and venting the compartment 18 to atmosphere through ports 39 and S4. The. rising of tie float 31 also causes the arm 32 to engage the lever 4E2, throwing the poppet valve i0 downwardly against the tension of spring l1 and emptying the compartment 18 into container 1. This results in the dropping oi float 31 and the restoration of the parts to the full line position. As in the modification shown in Fig. 3, iithe condition of the rotor continues, the operationas described above will be repeated until the parts are in position for continued normal operation.

i will be understood that many modifications may be made in the specific device illustrated and described and I therefore do not Wish to confine m *seli thereto.

What I claim is:

1.111 a device of the kind described, means providing a plurality of compartments, means for successively subjecting said comartments to the action of a vacuum, means or supplying a liquid to said compartments a chamber communicating with .saidicompartments andmeans responsive to the liquid level in said chamber for cutting oil" the vacuum and connecting said chamber and compartment to the atmosphere. H

2. In a device of the kind described, a container open to the atmosphere, a rotating member divided into a plurality of compartments, means for successively subjecting said compartments to the action of a vacuum during a predetermined angular movement of the rotating member, means for supplying a liquid to said compartments during said predetermined movement, means for emptying said compartments by the continued to tation thereof into the container, and means responsive to the liquid level in the container for cutting oil the vacuum.

8. In a device of the kind described, a container open to the atmosphere, a rotating member divided into a plurality of compartments, means for successively subjecting said compartments to the action of a vacuum during a predetermined angular movement of the rotating member, means for supplying a liquid to said compartments during said predetermined movement, means for emptying said compartments by the continued rotation thereof into the container, and means operative upon the stopping of the rotative member whereby the vacuum is cut 05 to the functioning compartment and said compartment connected to the atmosphere.

4:- In a device of the kind described, a rotating member divided into a plurality of compartments, means for successively subjecting said compartments to the action of a vacuum, means for supplying a liquid to said compartments, a chamber successively communicating With said compartments and means responsive to the liquid level in said chamber for cutting ofi' the vacuum and connecting said chamber and compartment to atmosphere.

5. In a device of the kind described, a container open to the atmosphere, a movable pump member having a compartment, means for subjecting said compartment to the action of a vacuum during a predetermined movement of the movable pump member, means for supplying a liquid to said compartment during said predetermined movement, means for emptying said compartment by a continued movement thereof into the container and means responsive to the liquid level in the container for cutting 05 the vacuum.

6. 'In a device 01" the kind described, a rotating member divided into a plurality of compartments, means for successively subjecting said compartments to the action of a vacuum, means for supplying a liquid to said compartments, a chamber successively communicating With said compartments, means responsive to the liquid level in said chamher for cutting off the vacuum and connect ing, said chamber andcompartment to. atmosphere, a container into which said coinpartments are adapted to empty and means responsive to the li uid level in said container for cutting o the vacuum from said compartment and chamber and for emptying said chamber into said container.

7. In a device of the kind described, a container open to the atmosphere, a housing mounted at the upper end thereof, avmember divided into a plurality of compartments mounted to rotate Within said housing, said housing being provided with a vacuum passage communicating with said rotating member andan opening permitting the emptying of said compartments into said container and being provided with a chamber communicating with said rotating member, means respo'ns'ive to vthe level of liquid in the containor for cutting off thevacuum an d means re sponsive to, the level of the liquid in the chamber for cutting off the vacuum i'n I dependently of said first vacuum cutting off means. v

8. In a device of the kind described, a movable pump member having a compartment, means for subjecting said compartment to the action of a vacuum, means for supplying a liquid to said compartment, a chamber communicating with said compartment, means responsive to the liquid level in said chamber for cutting off the vacuum and connecting said chamber and compartment to the atmosphere, a container into which said compartment is adapted to empty and means responsive to the liquid level in said container for cutting off the vacuum from said compartment and chamber and for emptying said chamber into said contamer.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 14th day of June,1921..-

V ROBERT H. HAZELTINF- 

